5-at-10: Biting, Braves, King James and an NBA Draft contest

Gang, we lost our way a little bit Tuesday. We got long-winded and focused on details. It happens. We're a sports writer.

With that in mind, today, let's move like a ninja. Remember the mailbag, and believe where you can and have faith when you can't.

Hmmm, that sounds good

Dude is a biter. Seriously.

Uruguay's Luis Suarez is being investigated by FIFA after apparently biting an Italian player during World Cup action Tuesday.

Biting? Really?

Here's crazy gambling line of the day No. 1 - an online betting site offered 175-to-1 odds that Suarez would bite an opponent. Seriously. Of course, since Suarez is a serial biter - this would be the third time he has locked-jawed a foe - that seems like an aggressive but good bet.

OK, soccer, we've been along for a fun ride, but how are you going to top the biting? Will Jurgen, Jurgen, Jurgen Klinsmann have the Americans enter like RoboGym's Cobras in the Dodgeball final? Will he tell Clint Dempsey to sweep the knee?

Who knows, but this circus that is the World Cup is crazy.

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LeBron James

Photo by
Associated Press/Times Free Press.

James holds the key

By now we all know that LeBron James has opted out of his contract and is surveying the landscape and considering his future.

We believe he will re-take his talents to South Beach, and as Stewwie pointed out, opting out and giving yourself the most bargaining power is the smart play.

Still, how much power does James wield over the league? Well, Vegas took every NBA futures bet (odds on champion; odds on playoff trips; over/unders on wins) off the board until James decides where he is headed.

There reported are three teams - the Hawks, the Cavs and the Lakers - who are looking at adding James and Carmelo Anthony, who opted out Monday. Wow. Something that could actually make the Hawks interesting - that'd be longer odds than Suarez biting a World Cup opponent.

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Braves

OK, that was needed.

Atlanta Braves' Justin Upton (8) hits a home run in front of Houston Astros catcher Jason Castro during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Houston.

Photo by
Associated Press/Times Free Press.

After a tumultuous end to the Nationals series, and with the Braves trying to tread water in the putrid NL East, a trip to woeful Houston has to produce success.

Tuesday, the Braves got a power surge from an unlikely spot and held on to a 3-2 win. A win's a win after all.

The Good: Stinky Upton homered in the third to give the Braves a lead they never relinquished. His brother Homebody Upton homered in the next inning. Speaking of Homebody Upton, dude has the most glaring splits in the game. Justin Upton is an MVP candidate in Atlanta (132 at-bats, 10 homers, 27 RBIs, .333 average) and an Uggla candidate on the road (126 at-bats, 5 homers, 12 RBIs, .206 average).

The bad: Not much. Aaron Harang went six innings and allowed two earned. The bullpen was spotless.

The Uggla: Danny Struggla did not play, so we'll tip out cap to the Astros, who other than Dexter Fowler and George Springer are flushed with guys who we're pretty sure we do not know their first names.

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This and that

- Virginia beat Vandy 6-2 to force a decisive Game 3 tonight in the College World Series. For those of us who have followed Vandy sports for more than a minute, this should have been the expected out come. War Smart Kids.

- Ian Kinsler homered in his return to Texas and waved at his former teammates as he headed to first. He said he was having fun. Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis said he was disappointed in the gesture. Either way, here's a tip of the 5-at-10 fedora that it did not turn into a brawl in today's super-sensitive world of sports.

- Clayton Kershaw followed up his no

- We are going to have some draft preview tomorrow. Book it. But we do have some...

Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN analyst, will be the special guest at the Times Free Press Man Xpo on June 28.

Photo by
Contributed Photo/Times Free Press.

Today's question

We are working on a fun Rushmore for the radio show today to help us give away some Man Xpo tickets. Listen in and play along.

- Who's up for a mini-draft contest for two Man Xpo tickets? Let's go with who's the first overall pick, who do the Lakers pick, where does Jarnell Stokes get picked (numbered position) and who has the best suit (as determined by the Mrs. 5-at-10). Who's in?